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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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#@¶¤%**-~. SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. AND A GIFT SHOP. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. CONSIDERED POOR. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. SOME ARE SHATTERED. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ** ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ** ** ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. ------- * * ------- .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ** ** ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ** ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... LIT FROM BEHIND. ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. ** .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ** ** ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ------- * * ------- ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ** ** ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. ** .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. FLOOR. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. BECOME STILL. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ** ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. ** ** .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ------- * * ------- ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... ** ** ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ** ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND .~-**%¤¶@#
@¶¤%**-~.. I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ..~-**%¤¶@
¶¤%**-~... THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ...~-**%¤¶
@¶¤%**-~.. ..~-**%¤¶@
#@¶¤%**-~. I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. .~-**%¤¶@#
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